Illuminating projectile



Jan. 16, 1934. H. s. BABBITT ILLUMINATING PROJECTILE 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 11 Jan. 16, 1934. H. s. BABBITT 1,943,292

I ILLUMINATING PROJECTILE Filed March 11. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll ll H I T T i H. J Ba /labia Jan. 16, 1934. H. s. BABBlTT ILLUMINATING PROJECTILE Filed March 11, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 nuentot Jan. 16, 1934. H. s. BABBITT ILLUMINATING PROJECIILE Filed March 11, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 16, 1934.

H. S. BABBITT ILLUHINATING PROJECTILE Filed March 11. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 16, 1934- H. s. BABBITT ILLUMINATING PROJECTILE Filed March 11, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 gwuantp ac 11w: B B

Patented Jan. 16, 1934 ILLUMINATING PROJECTILE Herbert S. Babbitt, Baldwin, N. Y., assignor to the Government of the United States, represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application March 11, 1926. Serial No. 94,092 9 Claims. (01. 102-241) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30. 1928; 370 0. G. 757) My invention relates to improvements in 11- Figure 8 is a detailed view of the release wire, luminating projectiles. Figure 9 is an enlarged detail view of the star An object of my invention is to provide an imor light suspension, proved projectile of the character described that Figure 10 is an enlarged detailed view of part 5 will be more reliable and eflicient in use and opof the parachute construction, and eration. Figure 11 is a detailed view of the shroud Another object is to provide a simple and pracswivel. tical illuminating projectile that may be inex- Referring more particularly to the drawings, pensively manufactured and assembled. 10 indicates the main body of a projectile of any 10 A further object is to provide a practical ildesired caliber provided at its forward end with luminating projectile involving the use of a sin a fuse 11 preferably of the time variety, and rogle parachute that will act not only to retard the tating band 12. The base of the projectile is illuminant or charge when ejected from the rear provided with a removable cap 13 held in place of the projectile but also to sustain the same by longitudinally disposed pins 14 and trans- 16 after it has been released and retarded. verse shear pins 15. Within the projectile at By way of further explanation of the objects the forward end is a chamber 16 containing the sought to be accomplished by the present inexpellant charge adapted to be ignited by the vention, it may be stated that previous standard time fuse. This chamber is closed by a balile types of illuminating projectile contents were as 17 having one or more perforations 18 that allow 20 follows: the flame from the expellant charge to pass (1) An illuminant container or pot supported through the baflie to ignite the illuminating maby three or more parachutes on a common cable terial contained within the charge 20. This is (multiple-parachute type.) shown in Figure 4. This charge comprises a sub- (2) An illuminant container or pot supported stantially cylindrical container 21 provided with 25 by a single parachu e on a suspension cable, and a swivel connection 22 at one end. A release with.special center cable retarding arrangement wire 23 passes through this swivel connection, (Martin suspension-cable single type.) as well as a tubular member 24 that is notched It y be er explained that neither of the or roughened, as at 25, the better to hold the Preceding Standard ypes named was found satilluminating material contained therein. The

30 isfactory in operation because the p i n 11- lower part of the release wire 23 is provided with ble would become twisted and kinked, and fouled fusible knob 26 that melts after a predeterwith other parts of the mechanism, due to the min d time interval allowing the wire 23 to be Spinning d b g actions at 818 d withdrawn through the tube 24. This arrange- SO Prevent limit p p sp s In the ment and construction holds the parachute in 35 present invention, this twisting and fouling tendpartially opened position, as shown in Figure 2, y e to Sp a u b i actions of until its speed is materially reduced, but when he contents t ejection, are overcomethe fusible knob is melted, the wire 23 is with- Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawn allowing the parachute to open to full drawings forming part of this specification, in iti as ho i Figure 3. The parachute 40 which like reference characters indicate corre- 27 is carefully rolled and housed within the base sponding parts throughout the several views, and of th j tile, as ho n in Figure 1, and is in which surrounded by two semi-cylindrical parts 28, im-

Figure 1 s a Vertical longitudinal Sectional mediately above which are two semi-discs 30 for view of the co p assembled shell, holding two other semi-cylindrical parts 31 en- 45 Figure 2 is a view of the shell or projectile at closing t charge t i the moment of release, The powder charge within the container con- Figure 3 is a de i ed v e of the parachute and sists of two compositions, the A composition being suspended light several moments after release. designed t burn a predetemined t before th Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view of the star parachute is released, and t B composition 50 or lig t. being designed to burn a desired length of time Figure 5 is a detailed view of the top of the after the parachute is in full open position. Powparachute, der pellets 37 are embedded in the composition Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of Figure 4, and are supported by filling disks 40 having a Figure '7 is a plan view of the top of the paraplurality of openings therethrough. A surface 55 chute, or igniting powder 42 is placed in these openings. 0

The contents of the container are held therein by a cover 38, also provided with openings that align with the openings in the filling disks. A baflie gasket 41 is positioned between the baffle plate 17 and the container 21.

The suspension wires 33 of the parachute 2'7 are connected to the shroud wires 34 by swivel connections 35. The shroud wires pass around and are secured to shroud wire thimbles 43, the two terminals of each respective wire being secured to the swivel connections 35 on the earings or suspension wires that are at points laterally opposite across a common diameter of the para: chute awning. The terminals of the shroud wires are passed through the wall of shroud sockets44, frayed, and then solder applied to the ends, forming heads within the sockets. The sockets are connected to the suspension wires by thimbles 45. The thimbles about which the shroud wires are passed are connected to the swivel connection 22. It will thus be seen that the shroud wires have a swivel connection with the charge container and each of the said wires is also connected to the suspension wires by a swivel, which arrangement reduces to a minimum the possibility of entanglement of the various wires during release of the parachute. The release wire 23 is also attached to the parachute awning by a swivel connection 32, and passes through swivel connection 22 to be attached to the fusible knob, as above explained. It will be noted from Figures 3 and 10- that the suspension wires of the ejec'ted. It is, therefore, highly desirable that means be provided for preventing the parachute and associated wires, lights, etc., from becoming snarled at the moment of release. The swivels above described effectively provide this prevention.

The invention herein described may be manu factured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes, without the payment of any royalties thereon.

What I claim is:

1. In an illuminating projectile,.in combina tion, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, such assembly comprising a parachute, an illuminating element supported by the parachute, shrouds, and swivelling members connecting the shrouds to the parachute. v

2. In an illuminating projectile, in combination, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, such assembly comprising a parachute, an illuminating element supported by the parachute, shrouds, and independent swivel elements connecting each of the shrouds to the parachute.

3. In an illuminating projectile, in combination, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, such assembly comprising a parachute, an illuminating element supported-by the parachute, shrouds, socketsparried by the parachute. awning, and means for providing a rotatable connection of the shrouds with the sockets.

4. In an illuminating projectile, in combination, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, such assembly comprising a parachute, an illuminating element supported by the parachute, sockets carried by the parachute awning, shroud wires, and soldered terminals on said wires housed within the sockets to permit rotation of .the wires in the sockets.

5. In an illuminating projectile, in combination, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, such assembly comprising a parachute, an illuminating element supported by the parachute, swivel members connected to the parachute awning at laterally opposite points across a common diameter of the parachute, and a pluraliity of continuous shroud wires having their ends connected to the swivel members.

6. In an illuminating projectile, in combination, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, such assembly comprising a parachute, an illuminating member supported by the parachute, a swivel at the top eye of the parachute, and areleasable wire connecting the illuminating member and swivel.

7. In an illuminating projectile, in combination, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, such assembly consisting of a container, flare compositions within the container, powder pellets embedded in one of the compositions, a filling disk having openings therethrough and supporting. the compositions, an igniting powder in said openings contacting with the pellets, and a cover over said disk having openings aligning with those in the disk, a parachute, and means attaching the container to the parachute.

8. In an illuminating projectile, in combination, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, such assembly comprising a parachute, an illuminating member'consisting of a container, a plurality of flare compositions within the container, a serrated member within the container about which the compositions are placed, powder pellets embedded within one of the compositions, a filling disk, igniting powder carried by the disk, and a cover for the container, and means for attaching the container to the parachute.

9. In an illuminating projectile, in combination, an assembly adapted to be ejected rearwardly from the projectile body, said assembly comprising a parachute, an illuminating member including a container, a plurality of flare compositions within the container, a swivel in the wall of the container, a hollow member within the container about which the compositions are placed, a fusible member within said hollow member, powder pellets embedded in one of the compositions, a filling disk having openings therethrough and supporting the compositions, an igniting powder in the openings contacting with the pellets, and a cover over said disk having openings aligning with those in the disk, means connecting the fusible member with the parachute, and means attaching the container to the parachute.

HERBERT S. BABBITT. 

